


you're not a person, you're my friend

by cloutier



Category: Fence (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Background Harvard Lee/Aiden Kane, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Human/Vampire Relationship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Nicholas Cox is whipped, Vampire Turning, Vampires, how is Nicholas the only one to figure out that Seiji's a vampire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28541115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloutier/pseuds/cloutier
Summary: On the one night Nicholas decides to follow his estranged roommate on his many midnight rendezvous, the thought of surprising Seiji during late night training would be too hilarious to pass up. However…“Seiji, are those…Fangs?”The last thing he’d expected was to find Seiji crouched at the door of the fencing team's clubhouse, clutching a half empty blood bag, and pure shock gleaming in his eyes.
Relationships: Nicholas Cox/Seiji Katayama
Comments: 11
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

“Guys, is it just me, or has Seiji been acting really weird lately?”

Nicholas panned over his lunch table and was disappointed to see that no one was as concerned as he was. Eugene confirmed this fact after taking a swig of his protein shake, “I dunno, bro. You’re the one who’s always staring at Seiji. You tell us.”

Nicholas scoffed at that and chomped on a piece of bacon, intent on taking out his frustration on the poor strip of breakfast food. As Seiji’s rival, teammate, _and_ roommate, Nicholas simply has to make sure that Seiji stays on top of his game! He’s being a considerate friend, of course.

Harvard rubbed his chin in thought, “I remember seeing Tanner in the locker room after his match with Seiji yesterday and I think the bruises were worse than last time.” A frown morphed onto the captain’s face and Aiden instinctively leaned in closer at his side as Harvard mumbled, “I should have a word with Seiji. Maybe he’s been feeling angrier than usual lately. Those hits seemed _really_ strong.”

“Hasn’t he been wearing different clothes than usual too?” Bobby piped up, accidentally dropping his spoon into his bowl of oatmeal. Dante swiped away the splashed food with a napkin and Bobby seemed too distracted with his report to notice, “Like so many layers and _all black_! You had a bigger influence on Seiji than you thought, Nick!”

Nicholas flung his arms over his head and sighed dramatically, “My eye for fashion may be the best out there, but he still gets on my case for liking ripped clothes though. He threatened to burn my ripped shirt if I left it on his side of the room again. Like come on! It was an accident!”

The entire table looked a bit horrified and Nicholas couldn’t determine whether it was regarding his opinion of ripped apparel or because he’d “defiled” Seiji's half of the room. Those were Seiji’s words, not his.

Nicholas waved an arm at them to dismiss the topic, “Anyway, that’s not all. Seiji even sneaks out at midnight! Like _past curfew_ kind of midnight!” Aiden was about to snidely mention how there was only one kind of midnight until Harvard let out a gasp.

“Is he getting enough sleep? Crap, I knew I should’ve asked him sooner about how he’s feeling!” Harvard looked so genuinely sorrowful that Nicholas found himself aching as well, rather than the pure curiosity that caused him to bring up the topic of Seiji. Harvard focused on Seiji’s health rather than the fact that he was breaking curfew, it said a lot about their caption.

Eugene made a confused sound at the back of his throat, “Seiji puts a lot of stock in routines and rules! What’s so important to him that he’d even sneak out to do it?” Nicholas nodded and gestured at Eugene in agreement.

“Maybe Seiji’s going on a date? God knows that stickler could use one,” Aiden grinned, lounging back as much as he could on his lunch bench. Nicholas always thought that he looked like the Cheshire Cat whenever he grinned and winked like that, so unknowingly malicious. 

Besides, the thought of his roommate sneaking out to meet some mysterious date at midnight brought an uneasy sway to Nicholas’ stomach. He knew that it was almost impossible for that to be true and that Aiden was joking as usual, but the concept was enough to make something angry sputter in Nicholas’ chest. A frustration akin to what he felt whenever Seiji mentioned Jesse with such a starry, forlorn look in his eyes. 

He hated it when Seiji referred to himself below Jesse, as if he wasn’t just as amazing. Sometimes Nicholas wished that Seiji could understand exactly what Nicholas saw in him.

Eugene nudged Nicholas, “Bro, what if you followed him on one of his midnight rendezvous! Report back to us if he's hiding some dark secret!”

Nicholas has never actively sought out Seiji to that extreme of a degree before, though he supposed that there was no time like the present. His roommate’s precious sleep schedule was on the line, after all. If anything, he's the one who should be thanking Nicholas for his efforts.

Nicholas opened his mouth to comment on Eugene’s suggestion but he might as well have been smacked shut when he noticed Seiji himself striding toward their lunch table.

With his signature glower, he glanced around the table and questioned, “Am I interrupting something?” Harvard was quick to reassure him and Seiji nodded once he was given clearance to sit down.

As if he needed some sort of permission, Nicholas scoffed, but he was well accustomed to the strange behaviors of the 1% by now. That didn’t mean he had to like it or stop questioning it.

Conversation started quick again at their table, typical, but Nicholas couldn’t engage in any of it. Call him obsessed but he’s still wondering about Seiji’s midnight rendezvous. What could he possibly find more important than his revered schedules?

Nicholas would usually pass this off as Seiji gunning for more fencing practice, but the salle is locked once the King’s Row gates shut. Which is curfew. Which renders this guess impossible. Last time Nicholas checked, Seiji cared only about fencing, to the point where his entire existence was molded around the sport. There’s quite literally nothing else that can coax Seiji Katayama out of his night routine.

Seiji began to fix together a salad and Nicholas gasped way more loudly than he first intended, nearly flinging himself to his feet. The rest of the table follows Nicholas’ eyes to stare at Seiji’s salad, to which their expressions ranged from slightly perplexed to unabashed horror. Seiji clears his throat.

Eugene’s eyebrows were knotted but his tone sounded more gentle than usual, almost like he was trying to steer a child away, as he pointed to Seiji’s modest breakfast. “You’re gonna need more than just a few greens to fuel you for the day, my man! Where’s your carbs?” 

At the helpful reminder of basic nutrition, Seiji seemed to freeze. It was the tiniest change that Nicholas had only caught since he was staring at him now rather than his food, but regardless, Nicholas was sure that he’d be replaying that rare flash of shock on Seiji's face for the rest of the day.

That stunned expression was quick but Seiji was quicker, recovering with a posh shake of his head. “My life coach simply advised me that it was time for change of meal plans. However, your concern regarding my carbohydrate intake is duly noted.” 

Harvard grins from across the table, “Well, you have been faring well on the piste recently. Stronger than usual!” In agreement, Bobby’s flushed face nodded shyly as he mumbled, “Oh, yeah! Probably because of your, um, your amazing new meal plan!” Nicholas shot Bobby a congratulatory wink on his display of bravery.

Aiden’s eyes glare deep into Seiji’s bowl of greens, clearly uninterested, as he bit into a pink frosted cupcake. Nicholas was aware that his own diet of burgers and fries wasn’t exactly the “my body is a temple” sort of mindset, but Aiden’s diet was on a whole other level.

He tucked a wavy lock of hair behind his ear, chewing mindlessly beside Harvard, and mumbled, “I’m still convinced that he could be meeting someone at night.” Nicholas was a little grateful (silently, of course, because he’d rather run 200 suicides than be verbally nice to Aiden) that Aiden had left Seiji’s name out of the equation here, or else his little plan to follow him out tonight would definitely be foiled.

Nicholas eyed Seiji’s meal once again and traveled up to his face, which seemed stormy and more lost in thought than usual. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the school bell. They’d have 20 minutes to head to their rooms before scurrying to their first periods.

Surprisingly, Seiji did not seem upset at having only finished about half of his sad little salad. He didn’t seem fatigued or frustrated like he usually got whenever something went awry in his strict daily routines, in fact, he seemed to not care about it. It was so unlike his roommate that Nicholas started to theorize if this was the same Seiji Katayama at all. Perhaps a reptilian wearing his skin?

Seiji stood from the table and Nicholas forced himself not to jolt away when they met eyes, instead trailing downward to watch Seiji’s hands quickly tug his jacket zipper up. Black slacks, black down jacket, a black turtleneck beneath that, and even black loafers. It hasn’t been cold enough for insulated jackets in months. What the hell is going on? 

“I’ll see you in class, Nicholas,” Seiji greeted, and Nicholas almost forgot to respond, much too caught up in his reptilian theory to bother with basic human decency. When Nicholas gave a simple nod, mouth dropped open in thought, he must’ve looked like some sort of mutt struck speechless.

Nicholas watched Seiji disappear into the crowd of King’s Row students, the unmistakable cloud of black blurring away. With Eugene’s suggestion lingering at the forefront of his mind, Nicholas stood from the table and followed into the cafeteria crowd.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Pretending to be asleep for hours is one of the most arduous tasks that Nicholas Cox has ever had to complete. For an activity that required so little, Nicholas was feeling stressed and restless. All he wanted to do was get up and move around at this point.

When he heard shuffling from the other side of the dorm’s shower curtain, he was immediately sending thanks to whatever higher power was granting him mercy from above. Nicholas didn’t dare open his eyes but he could tell what Seiji’s movement pattern was looking like based on the noises.

The soft padding was Seiji’s loafers traveling across the room and, of course, the gentle shut of the door was Seiji making his clandestine exit. Nicholas immediately shot out of the sheets, grateful to be blessed with the clearance to move, and move he did.

Perhaps he should’ve “slept” in his shoes so he could decrease the distance created between him and Seiji that was steadily growing now, as Nicholas quickly slid his feet into sneakers. He considered it hours ago, but allowing shoes in the sanctity of one’s bed was an unforgivable crime, even for Nicholas.

Fortunately enough, Seiji was wearing colors brighter than black tonight. For some reason he refused to wear them during the day time, but Nicholas wasn’t about to complain when he found black to look better on him anyway. 

Nicholas spotted him as soon as he snuck out of the dormitory buildings, standing close near the trees to stay out of sight. Just as was suspected, Seiji doesn’t take the turn toward the salle. Instead, he took a particular path that was familiar to them both, though it only wracked Nicholas’ head further.

Was Seiji going to the clubhouse?

Seiji climbed the wall with ease and Nicholas stood, gobsmacked, as his roommate jumped over the top in record time. Man, if only Harvard and Eugene were here to see it. Now no one’s going to believe Nicholas. He wasn’t sure if _he_ even believed himself right now. 

The clubhouse was basically a dormitory room but better, considering there was no roommate to worry over and also a living room alongside a bedroom and personal bath. Sometimes Nicholas wondered why no one on the team wanted to sleep there.

Though, all of that didn’t help to ease the looming disappointment clutching Nicholas’ chest. The clubhouse was a perfect place to get away from everyone, a secluded mini house to call your own when the moment called for it.

Nicholas seriously didn’t take it as anything other than a joke when Aiden said it, but...Did Seiji actually sneak out for a date in the clubhouse? Nick is equally as impressed as he is jealous.

He vaults over the wall and hurries into the woods, careful not to make too much noise as to alert Seiji. It didn’t seem to be an issue since he was nowhere to be seen, but that also presented the issue of Nicholas possibly getting lost. 

The darkness surrounding him seemed to make the trees grow taller, the breeze blow chillier, and the silence weigh heavier. How could people stand the dark? Nicholas began to miss his trusty lamp that he left on during the nights, a right that he’d had to fight Seiji over for a while. 

Nicholas was so caught up in fear that when he spied the little cabin up ahead, his legs sped up with hope bursting within him. He opened his mouth to call out his roommate’s name when he saw Seiji stumble and fall to the ground.

Nicholas didn’t hesitate before rushing over, “Seiji? Are you okay?” At the sound of his voice, Seiji visibly froze up and his shoulders tensed, stopping him from climbing up to his feet. Blinking in confusion, Nicholas reaches out a hand to help him up, but the look in Seiji’s eyes almost made him retract it.

“Go away, Nicholas!” Seiji actually hissed, like the way a cat does when they feel threatened. Nicholas wished that he’d had reacted like a normal person would at that moment, perhaps by respecting Seiji’s rude rejection and turning tail, but he merely planted his feet in the dirt, blinking wildly. 

Has his sleep deprived brain finally lost it? Is Nicholas actually trapped in some horribly vivid dream right now? Because what else could be the reason why Seiji Katayama, his annoyingly perfect roommate, has _fangs_?

Nicholas really, _really_ needs to get some sleep. 

“Seiji, are those…Fangs?” He doesn’t even stop himself from asking, unsure of what else to do. Seiji would appreciate the honesty anyway, probably. 

Once again, Nicholas is wrong, because Seiji looked as if he'd just been punched in the gut at the innocent question. He stumbled onto his feet, shivering violently, and Nicholas really can't help but want to reach out to help again, though he knows Seiji would hate it, so he stops himself.

Nicholas has never seen Seiji look so strangely mortified before. Well, not since he saw him in the bathroom after his loss to Aiden. Oh, and then their little fight in the supply room as well. And, of course, literally whenever Jesse Coste is in the same room as them. Okay, _maybe_ he has seen Seiji riled up a few times before, but that’s not the point. 

Why does Seiji seem so horrified right now? Nicholas was the one who embarrassed himself by asking such an idiotic question. Of _course_ Seiji doesn’t have fangs, it’s all some insomnia induced hallucination.

As if he read his mind, “Nicholas, _leave_. You’re just exhausted and you’re seeing things, that’s all,” and Seiji darted into the clubhouse with as much composure as he could possibly scrounge up in their current situation.

Nicholas is at the point where he’s nearly come to terms with having gone mad and if that’s the case, the least he can do is help someone else.

Even in the darkness of the clubhouse, Nicholas was able to watch Seiji clumsily wade past the furniture. Every step seemed to strike Seiji with such pure pain that it’s a miracle he managed to climb up the wall and sneak out so quietly at all. 

Nicholas shook his head and sighed. Why does his rival have to be such a self-righteous bastard at the worst times? 

He doesn't enter the clubhouse, but he doesn’t desert Seiji either. It’s a nice compromise for them both. Feeling useless, Nicholas stands by the door with his chin tucked to the floor, clutching the door handle as if that could change anything. 

“You need to go. Right now. Please, I can't,” Seiji’s voice began to sound strained and at first, it seemed like he’s talking to himself more than to Nicholas. “Not you, just not _you_ …” Seiji croaks out, clearly beginning to succumb to some sort of delirium. They should both get more sleep. 

Nicholas doesn't have time to question whatever the hell that Seiji possibly meant in that moment because he’s a bit impressed that Seiji’s vocabulary included the word “please” at all. That desperation only proved to make Nicholas’ concern grow further, for both himself and his roommate.

A crash came from within the clubhouse and in the darkness, Nicholas spied the team’s unofficial blue cooler box tumbled onto the ground. He squinted to see that the lid had swung open, leaving shiny cubes of ice to clink onto the ground like an unpracticed chorus. 

Nicholas stepped inside to assist Seiji with cleaning it all up when he suddenly freezes in his tracks, paling with a startling realization. The ice wasn’t the only thing in the cooler, it seems. 

Amongst the glittering pieces of ice were various red plastic bags scattered across the floor. Nicholas feels a chill run down his back, mouth drying up—they're blood bags.

Seiji dropped to his knees and even in a state of distress, he manages to execute such a pitiful action with grace. Nicholas cannot tear his gaze away when Seiji, his chest heaving, hurriedly sinks his very real fangs into a very real blood bag.

Okay, so _maybe_ Nicholas was a little off with the reptilian theory.

Nicholas winced when Seiji’s use of unadulterated force caused blood to spurt onto the ground, sliding down Seiji’s chin and arms. He’s going to be upset when it stains his clothes.

With every gulp, Seiji grows more composed and slowly returns to the normal stickler they all know and love. It’s completely horrifying to see such a display, considering Nicholas has never seen Seiji so desperate for anything before.

Seiji probably wouldn't hunger like this even for a win against Jesse Coste. He’d much rather sweat and bleed for that victory all on his own, but this…this seems much more like a matter of life or death.

Nicholas blinks anxiously, waiting patiently as Seiji gulps down the last drops of the blood bag. When he sets the emptied bag down, Seiji meets his roommate’s eyes. The rapid rise of his chest indicates that he isn’t entirely past his episode earlier. 

Seiji fixed his classic gaze of frustration onto Nicholas, though it was definitely not as scrutinizing as usual due to obvious reasons. Obvious _vampiric_ reasons. “...Are you content now that you took Eugene’s advice to follow me out here?”

Nicholas not only had endless questions to ask, but also a whole night’s worth of sleep to catch up on eventually.

It was going to be a long night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't read this author's note if don't you want a very light Striking Distance spoiler! It doesn't reveal anything plot related but I wanted to mark it just in case!
> 
> I'm currently reading Striking Distance and I just got up to page 300 and somewhere before that was a Nicholas chapter where he compared him to a vampire and I had to like put my book down I was confused and I didn't know why until I remembered I was writing this very fic about vampire!Seiji

“You…You're a…”

Seiji sighs, attempting to push up the locks of his black hair that managed to fall out of place. He genuinely cannot believe that Nicholas not only followed him out of King’s Row to the clubhouse, but also that he managed to figure out Seiji’s secret. Including an entire pitiful performance where he stumbled over himself as he clawed his way toward the cooler box for a meal. A real meal, at least. 

“Yes, Nicholas. Once again, I am indeed a vampire,” Seiji confirms verbally, for the third time in the past minute they’ve been here in the clubhouse.

They’re both currently returning the blood bags and ice back into the cooler but Seiji can’t complain, considering he made the mess in the first place. He’s just grateful to have something to do with his hands. 

Seiji supposed that he can give Nicholas a pass on this bout of utter confusion this time. It wasn’t a simple matter of fixing a poor fencing habit, rather a more convoluted matter of discovering that your roommate is a vampire.

Ah, that was quite the issue, isn’t it? Of course that’s what’s occupying Nicholas’ mind right now. Naturally, Seiji had always accepted this part of himself. All his parents had to do was order him to deal with it and it would be considered done. That’s exactly what happened in this case. 

Seiji lifted his eyes amidst their cleaning to see that, yes, Nicholas’ eyebrows are knit together in deep thought.

Perhaps Seiji should act more cordial. After all, he’s never had to admit his secret to a human before. Coach Dmytro knew, but it was Seiji’s parents that informed him. This problem hadn’t arisen before his turning month since he was still human, and it was supposed to _never_ have arisen. If only Nicholas hadn’t followed him out here. 

So is he...Scared of Seiji? The last thing he wants is for Nicholas to isolate him like all the others. Recently, he called Seiji his friend. He doesn’t want that to stop. He doesn’t want Nicholas to stop dragging him to watch matches together or to save him a seat in class. 

Seiji anxiously collects the last blood bag into the cooler box and Nicholas collapses onto the couch behind them, clearly having issues processing it all. He keeps murmuring unnecessary questions, more to himself than to Seiji. 

At some moments, Nicholas can't even bring himself to glance Seiji's way, but at other moments Nicholas can't tear his eyes away, as if he's looking at one of the wonders of the world. Seiji, funnily enough, refuses to meet his gaze, a flicker of self consciousness sparking in his chest.

He crosses his arms and averts his gaze out of shame, intending to attack the issue head on, “I know people think of me as some sort of barbaric animal, but if you worry for your safety, I assure you that I wouldn't hurt—“

Nicholas begins to shake his head profusely. Seiji has half a mind to be irritated at his rude interruption, but he was more interested in what Nicholas had to say, so he kept quiet.

“No, I know you wouldn't hurt anyone. It’s just that you looked so…Well, I guess, _hungry_ earlier.” As if having forgotten the entire situation at hand, Nicholas pouted up at roommate, “Seiji, why didn't you eat a bigger breakfast or something?”

Seiji’s eye twitched, raring to shout back at such a foolish question, a waste of time really. He was prepared to defend himself and possibly even his right to exist, not to be drowned in futile concerns from Nicholas, of all people.

“Eugene was right, you definitely need more carbs in your diet,” Nicholas leans back into the plush couch, grasping for a pillow. He’s always been the type to cuddle a pillow at night, Seiji always noticed it whenever he made one of his midnight escapes to the cooler box.

Seiji starts to pace around the room with clenched fists. Now _he's_ the confused one who can't comprehend anything, "Nicholas, vampires barely obtain any nutrients from food. As of this month forward, my main source of sustenance comes from blood,” Nicholas nods slowly after a second, but does not look satisfied with the response.

So far, Seiji is at a loss to comprehend how he's managed to avoid the typical questions of “why, when, how, and where”. He has to hand it to Nicholas, he’s absorbing all of this new information rather easily. Perhaps too easily, the lack of interrogation is beginning to spook Seiji a bit. 

"Well, why haven't you drank any blood today then? You looked like shit earlier, Seiji, don't worry me like that!" Nicholas tried to laugh it off but Seiji didn’t miss when he quickly wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Did Nicholas really worry that much for him? Seiji figured that he followed him after curfew out of curiosity. They hadn't realized that Seiji overheard but Eugene _did_ suggest that Nicholas should discover what he was doing behind closed doors, and he finds that reason completely plausible. However, that leaves one part unaccounted for.

Nicholas stayed even during the clubhouse episode when, Seiji could imagine, he probably felt his life was in danger. How could you not when faced with a supernatural creature, a ravenous one at that, particularly for the very lifeblood that powers your body?

Why didn’t he run away? Why did Nicholas _stay_?

Seiji keeps that question locked at the back of his mind as he scoffs, "There’s no time in my daily schedule, at least not yet. Coach Dmytro hasn't implemented it in as of now,” and Nicholas rolled his eyes, unamused. What was the issue? Seiji answered his question, hadn’t he?

"So that's why you've been sneaking out at midnight lately, huh?" Shame flashes over Seiji’s face once more and he's suddenly grateful that the clubhouse is dark.

Seiji always assumed that his roommate was already peacefully asleep by then, but clearly that wasn’t the case. All he can hope for now is that he hadn’t noticed the few seconds that Seiji spent lingering at the door, a small smile on his face when he gazed upon a peaceful Nicholas.

"You don't have to hide anymore at least, now that I know your dirty little secret,” Seiji’s face burns at Nicholas’ vulgar word choice but decides to ignore it for now. The tension in the air had loosened and he wouldn’t admit it, but it was nice to hear Nicholas laugh.

Seiji allowed his shoulders to drop, now realizing just how truly stressed he’d been over this situation with Nicholas specifically, because Seiji has an inkling that he wouldn’t have been this concerned over anyone else. 

The cooler is safely tucked under Seiji's arm and he snorts as they finally walk out of the clubhouse, "If you were smarter, I’d have worried about you snitching me out to someone."

Nicholas shakes his head with a stupid little grin on his face, eyes starry in the way they typically got whenever he has a no sauce, extra pickle burger in front of him. Seiji startles a bit when he realizes that he knows his roommate’s preferred burger order by heart. "Why would I? It’s cool to have a secret vampire roommate." 

Seiji doubts that anyone would believe Nicholas anyway, no matter if it was because of his faulty word or Seiji’s efficiency at blending in with humans. He can easily retract his fangs whenever he's not dying of hunger, after all. 

They hop the wall with such ease that they wished Harvard and Eugene could’ve seen, traveling back to their room in silence. When the door shuts behind them, Seiji sighs and sets the cooler under his bed.

"Nicholas, it was probably a good idea that you sought after my predicament. Now I can properly warn you about the obstacles to come." Frowning, Nicholas rubs at his eyes, clearly sleepy.

He must’ve been exhausted the entire time, making something within Seiji twinge in guilt. He still cannot grasp how Nicholas was able to sacrifice so much for him. 

Seiji noted to be swift with his explanation, being a night creature who doesn't require as much rest anymore, especially now that he just had his fix. 

"The first month of a vampire turning would be the most arduous, my parents informed me as much. As my roommate, you will have to deal with my irregular bouts of hunger, the abilities I have yet to hone, and other such issues,” shame flashes onto Seiji’s face and he turns away to hide it, “I apologize in advance for any inconvenience, and I implore you to merely ignore me when I become a nuisance."

Nick seems to be bothered by Seiji's suggested solution. "’ _When_ you become a nuisance’? Come on, you know me better than that. I want to help you, Seiji, that's what friends do,” and Seiji doesn’t know how to feel, blinking dumbly.

Right. Friends helped each other, even if it was at their inconvenience.

Seiji opened his mouth to say something else, perhaps ask something that's been on his mind for a long time now, but Nicholas seemed to be fighting sleep with everything he had just to listen to him. 

Shaking his head, Seiji knelt by Nicholas' lamp and switched it on. Nick grumbled a weak protest, spouting a lie about how he can continue to stay awake, but Seiji had already disappeared behind their curtain. "Sleep well."

Seiji was not in need of any rest and certainly didn't feel exhausted, in fact he felt more awake now than he has at all in the past week. He stared up at the ceiling and laid a hand on his chest, heart eternally still.

If there was anyone out there that could make him feel, it was Nicholas. And he had, multiple times before. Disgust, when he realized they were roommates and promptly began to divide their room. Rage, when he and Nicholas erupted in a flurry of punches in the supply closet. Bitter, when Nicholas boasted about his victory against Aiden. 

However, he found himself blooming with more sensation than that, more than what he’d typically feel for others. Respect, when Nicholas stood his ground against MLC where the rest of his team was crumbling. Devotion, whenever Nicholas bothered to save him a seat for class and meal times. Guilt, when Nicholas decided to put everything on the line for some undeserving creature like Seiji. 

There was something else that Seiji couldn’t quite define, nor did he wish to. A feeling so warm and melodic, yet fluttery and nearly made him nauseous whenever it was approached too directly. 

Instead of mulling it over, Seiji listened as Nicholas' breath evened out and the steady drum of his heartbeat just a curtain away. He had undoubtedly fallen asleep now.

"And thank you, Nicholas."


	4. Chapter 4

The King’s Row fencing salle was usually a hub for ruckus, but Seiji was certain that this afternoon’s noise level placed itself above the average. No one would be surprised if it was due to another friendly competition that Eugene wages against Nicholas for the day, or perhaps Tanner spotted another underclassman to berate.

To Seiji’s dismay, he found himself to be the center of attention for this afternoon.

“Why are your hits so hard, Seiji? You got a problem or something?” Tanner barked, stomping closer to intimidate Seiji. He knew how these scuffles worked. If Tanner knew what Seiji was truly capable of, he was sure that he wouldn’t be aggravating him like this, if he was even smart enough to realize it.

Harvard rushed over to stand in front of Seiji, who held his hands by his sides in tight fists. He wanted to laugh at the display and if he didn’t respect his captain, Seiji was unsure if he’d been legitimately offended by his sacrifice as a meat shield or not.

“What’s wrong, Katayama? You getting  _ mad _ ?” There was a manic grin on Tanner’s face now and it took Seiji a minute to realize why he hadn’t been told off yet. Kally was sick in his dorm room, meaning Tanner was currently the equivalent of a rabid dog off his leash.

Anger boiled in Seiji’s veins and if his heart hadn’t stuttered its last beats earlier this month, it would be racing in his chest from all the adrenaline. The tips of Seiji’s ears began to burn from irritation and he willed himself to stop listening to Tanner, intent on resisting the pull of his fangs instead.

“We know you’re a little riled up without Kally, but you can’t take it out on Seiji,” Harvard stood tall and tried to soothe Tanner, which never worked unless you were Kally. Tanner looked offended but in Harvard’s defense, he always looked like you spit on his shoe at every point in the day.

Tanner blew a fuse at that and he reared his head back in a laugh, “This isn’t about Kally!” He jabbed a finger at Seiji and it managed to fly past Harvard, which really spoke to Tanner’s swift reflexes. Seiji would’ve given a strict nod in approval if he weren’t being targeted right now.

At that, the rest of the salle’s interests were piqued regarding Tanner’s usual boisterous roars. What a pain.

Seiji rolled his eyes and huffed a small laugh, blind to the rest of the boys crowding around them. He couldn’t stand this childish contest any longer. It was starting to become a waste of time for everyone, after all.

“Tanner, you should  _ leave _ ,” Seiji seethed under his breath, training a hostile glare into his eyes. The salle went quiet and Seiji knew they were all bracing for some huge uproar from Tanner, as he was infamous for, but the most unexpected thing happened.

Tanner’s strained body loosened and Seiji was surprised to lay his eyes on his relaxed expression for once. His boxy eyebrows almost shot up into his hairline into surprise and perhaps he would have wrestled out one last shout, but Seiji’s ability works quickly. 

Murmurs rumbled through the salle like an ocean wave as the crowd dispersed, clearing a path toward the entrance for Tanner. With his source of irritation dealt with, Seiji felt the persistent pull of his fangs begin to slow and he dropped his shoulders to face the captain.

Harvard looked as shocked as anyone else in the room but being Tanner’s old teammate, Seiji was sure that he was merely well practiced in hiding his surprise. No one would be able to predict what could’ve caused Tanner to obey so dutifully out of nowhere, to a  _ freshman _ he despised so noticeably at that.

Well, no one except…

Seiji’s shoulders shot up in irritation again when he felt a hand grasp his wrist, dragging him into the crowd against his will. He would’ve fought them off if he hadn’t heard their heartbeat a split second before they approached. He could recognize that pattern anywhere, the same peaceful drum he fell asleep to last night.

Harvard glanced at the two out of the corner of his eye and Seiji could’ve sworn he saw a smirk pull on his lips before he turned to address the rest of the fencers, instructing them to return to their respective drills. Cursing under his breath, Seiji nearly tripped over his own feet while Nicholas dragged him back and away from the matches.

“Nicholas! No slacking on practice!” Seiji didn’t have it in him to pry Nicholas off so he allowed himself to be brought to wherever his roommate wished, hoping it wasn’t another supply closet. He was certain that if Harvard and Aiden went searching for them a second time, they would have much more to say than “they were trying to kill each other”.

Seiji was a bit angry at himself for allowing that thought to enter his mind so when Nicholas finally stopped at the bleachers, he tore his wrist out of his grasp, as if that would purge his mind. It was so easy for a melodic chuckle to make its way out of Nicholas, who gestured for Seiji to join him as he took a seat, “I brought you here for a break. Coach’s orders.”

A displeased frown morphed Seiji’s face and he inwardly sighed. No getting out of this if it was his instructor’s demand, he supposed, as he reluctantly sat beside Nicholas. He made sure to keep a modest space between them and Seiji straightened his back, washing his eyes across the salle.

Nicholas did not join him in watching the matches for once. His eyes were trained on Seiji, whose eye twitched under the scrutiny. This was ridiculous. Seiji would handle crowds of hundreds watching him and waiting for a slip up, he could have a match televised and he wouldn’t mind, but all of that calculated composure came crashing down when it came to Nicholas Cox.

“Damn, your face is so red! Good to know that Tanner can even annoy someone as cool as you,” Seiji rolled his eyes at the assumption. Yes, Tanner. He is surely the cause of Seiji’s flustered state.

Seiji huffed and adjusted his collar to cool himself off. He won’t have to worry about feeling so cold constantly anymore if Nicholas continues these antics of his. Even better than that, Seiji’s outfits can branch out past the sunlight soaking color of black materials.

Seeming to understand that the mood called for a shift of topics, Nicholas nudged Seiji’s side and leaned in to whisper, “So...That was your crazy vamp powers at work?” Seiji’s eye twitched and he looked up in a panic, a bit horrified that Nicholas brought it up so easily in public. At least he had the decency to  _ whisper _ .

Seiji turned to scowl down at Nicholas but his eyes were gleaming so brightly out of curiosity that, much to his chagrin, Seiji felt the quickly boiling anger dissipating. Did Nicholas have some supernatural ability to counteract those of a vampire?

“...Yes,” Seiji confirms, voice barely above a murmur. He dropped his chin to stare down at the wrinkles in his palms and hoped that Tanner truly took his demand as an opportunity to cool off. Seiji truly wondered if he was a monster sometimes.

Nicholas laid a gentle hand on Seiji’s shoulder and hesitantly leaned an inch closer, which Seiji was grateful for. He instinctively leaned into the warmth and honed in on it rather than his jumbled thoughts, allowing Nicholas to ground him.

Before he knew it, Seiji was murmuring again, “It’s been a long time since I’ve used my ability, my mother called it absolute compliance. I was disgusted when she described it to me.” Seiji scrunched his nose and jolted at the memories, as if he’d caught a rancid scent.

“The power to demand anything from anyone and they can’t stop it, no matter how much they fight it. Other than Tanner, I was forced to try it on Coach Dmytro,” Nicholas tightened his grip around Seiji’s shoulder when he felt him tense up. “He’s guiding me with my new, erm,  _ lifestyle _ , so he urged me to give it a try.”

Nicholas was silent beside him and Seiji shook his head softly, a bit ashamed at how much he’d soured the mood. He opened his mouth to try to wave his thoughts away but Nicholas once again, seemed to be quicker, “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Seiji. If you don’t like something, you have every right to ignore it.”

Seiji looked up at the salle and gazed at the doors where he’d commanded Tanner to leave through. He agreed with Nicholas, though his parents seemed to have a different stance on the argument. They hadn’t seemed entirely opposed to Seiji’s disuse of his unique ability but the wrinkles of disappointment were impossible to miss.

“I apologize, Nicholas. I’d argued otherwise but perhaps I truly was in need of a break like you said,” Nicholas laughed, which never failed to shine some light into Seiji’s dreary mood. It wasn’t one of those mocking chortles that was used sarcastically during their first meetings, but one that conveyed to Seiji that perhaps he wasn’t alone in feeling starstruck whenever they were together.

“I’m here for you, I’ve always been,” Nicholas grinned up at him and the odd warmth spread through Seiji’s chest once again. If his heart was still beating, he was sure that it would’ve stuttered when he saw Nicholas wink, “as long as you don’t use that command power on me! If you ever want anything, all you have to do is ask, you know.”

Seiji launched himself out of Nicholas’ grip and sputtered about how he wouldn’t dare stoop to such levels, occupying himself with dusting off his shoulders. Amidst Nicholas’ endless fit of laughter at the reaction he’d coaxed from his vampire roommate, Seiji huffed and returned to the fencing matches he’d taken a break from.

Seiji had already managed to push through two weeks of his turning month on his own and he'd have to survive one final week before everything would return to normalcy. A new normalcy, at least. With Nicholas’ knowledge of his situation and his strangely devoted efforts to keep Seiji in line day after day, Seiji was unsure if he was beginning to regret Nicholas’ aid in his current issues.

There wasn’t much time to question it now. There were still a few more days to persist through.

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

Nicholas isn’t the best student, there’s not much surprise there. That isn’t to say that he purposefully behaves like a menace at every second of the day, he merely just has a short attention span.

He’s currently taking a crack at a Latin studies essay and Nicholas would dare even say that he was rather invested in the assignment for once! But of course something has to get in his way of completing it all in one sitting.

Nicholas and Seiji always gathered the shower curtains by their window during the day time so it wouldn’t obstruct the room too much, which means that he has a clear view of Seiji from across the room.

He hadn’t realized it at first but Nicholas made a grave mistake when he decided to type out his essay on his bed instead of his desk, which meant his back would be facing the said distraction.

If he’d chosen to write at his desk, it would’ve been both the more efficient (his school issued computer had the chargers set up by the desks) and the most peaceful option. Naturally, there is no peace for Nicholas Cox. 

Resisting the urge to whack his head against the wall in frustration, Nicholas watched out of the corner of his eye as Seiji squirmed uselessly in his half of the room. Typically, Nicholas would laugh and tease him over it, but he cannot afford such a thing when time is inching closer to his essay deadline with every passing second. 

Seiji stood by his desk and even had a hand grasping the top of the chair, prepared to pull it back to take a seat. He’s been standing like that for the past few minutes, eyes darting from Nicholas with his essay, to the cooler box under his bed, and then back to the chair. 

Nicholas can’t take much more of his poor roommate’s apprehension. Seiji’s starting to appear more pathetic rather than annoying if he kept this up. 

“Seiji, I’m begging you. Please stop fidgeting.”

Startled, his roommate’s body jolted and Seiji’s panicked eyes settled on a drained Nicholas. Seiji cleared his throat and his fingers curled around the chair, as if trying to convince himself to take a seat. “You should focus on your essay rather than involve yourself with my business.”

It was obvious that Seiji had meant for his words to sting but Nicholas understood him on a deeper level than either of them would like to admit.

He hadn’t given it much thought before but he shared more similarities with Seiji than he expected. Sure, he isn’t wealthy or was paraded like a circus animal for his entire life, molded by a singular purpose, but Nicholas didn’t really have many things growing up either.

It seems laughable to say that Seiji didn’t have a lot growing up, because he technically did. Material things, at least.

But friends, who understood him on a deeper level than just a fencing partner? Parents, who were emotionally present and attended their matches?

No, of course not. Nicholas spotted that dent in Seiji’s armor somewhere down the rocky path that they took toward becoming friends. It was more of Nicholas labeling them as such and hoping Seiji agreed (which he did), since Nicholas had more social experience than his prodigy of a counterpart.

Nicholas granted himself a second to decide how he wanted to handle the situation. He could completely obliterate Seiji’s ego by exposing his thought process. It wasn’t difficult to understand what Seiji was trying to figure out, considering his flitting eyes always managed to return to the cooler box beneath his bed.

If he wanted to have a drink so badly, he should go ahead and help himself. It’s not like Nicholas wasn’t aware of his dirty little secret so why was he so hesitant?

He gestured toward the blue box tucked beneath his bed and slowed his words, as if explaining to a child, “If you’re thirsty, then drink.”

The world seemed to go still for a second, neither one of the two boys moving. The only evidence for Nicholas to prove that they hadn’t just been petrified into statues was the small twitch of Seiji’s eye.

“I…” Seiji began, his eyes trailing back to the cooler and glazing over. It seemed like he was about to take Nicholas’ advice when he actually bends to fish out a blood bag from the box. His eyebrows were knit in thought, clutching it gently and staring down at the drink as if it were a convoluted math problem.

However, Seiji was quick to shake his head at the thought after a quick second, “No, I couldn’t. You wouldn’t understand, but it’s quite a messy process,” his fingers nearly going white knuckled around the chair now from the force. 

Nicholas frowned at Seiji’s wasted efforts. He wasn’t going to let him give up so easily.

Turning away from his school issued laptop (he still has a handful of hours left until the deadline anyway), Nicholas zeroed in on the blood pouch that Seiji held. So he doesn’t feel comfortable drinking in front of people? It’s clear that it was at the forefront of his mind for whoever knows how long it’s been now, so all Nicholas had to do was make him feel comfortable by getting his mind off things. Luckily for him, Nicholas is an expert at distracting other people!

The pouch was plastic and rectangular, the shape akin to that of a CapriSun. Man, he missed those artificially fruit flavored drinks. Blinking up at his roommate owlishly, Nicholas questioned, “So where’d you get blood bags from anyway? I was meaning to ask because you did a pretty good job of hiding it all until, you know. Midnight rendezvous.”

Seiji nodded, deeming the question worth answering, “Right, I received a care package from my parents. I’ve never received one until now.” He met Nicholas’ eyes with a carefully steady gaze, as if waiting for him to start flailing wildly. No one really knew much of Nicholas’ situation but it was close to common knowledge that the scholarship kid didn’t have a good relationship with his parents, if at all.

Nicholas didn’t erupt in anger, nor did he seem sorrowful, only held Seiji’s stare with considerate awareness. A blurry memory of his teammates’ families bloomed in Nicholas’ head, Seiji the only other boy in the room who shared in his loneliness.

Seiji continued once he was sure that he didn’t seem to spark any ugly emotions in his roommate, “I suppose I shall be receiving these packages regularly now.” Nicholas wondered if his parents bothered to gift him anything more than the basic necessities in those packages. In their defense, it’s not like Seiji had many hobbies.

An airy chuckle left Nicholas’ lips, “Well, have you tried the typical vamp stuff? The shows and movies always talk about cow blood or whatever.” He wouldn’t be surprised to hear it if Seiji aimed that usual look of absolute perplexity back at him, but it was an expression he was willing to bear if it meant that Seiji would no longer feel uncomfortable.

Nicholas isn’t a savant with his words or anything of the sort, but he was courteous enough to know not to straight out ask,  _ yo, is that human blood?  _ Not only would Seiji never trust him again (if he had ever), but he refused to back his vulnerable roommate into a corner like that. Thus, he made sure to keep his tone playful and approachable, always allowing leeway for Seiji to avoid the uncomfortable topics if he so chose to.

“These bags are filled with beef and pork blood, the norm for the Katayamas because of its availability in stores. Other families prefer human blood because they seem to think it will keep them pure blooded. Some say it tastes sweeter,” Seiji mouthed the words awkwardly, clearly unprepared to share this kind of information, but the loosened tension in his furrowed brow gave away his alleviation.

He peered at Nicholas with a questioning look in his eyes, perhaps wondering if he was oversharing. Nicholas offered him a simple nod to continue, wishing that Seiji understood that he was here for him, that he didn’t have to fight alone anymore.

Nicholas hummed to signal that he was still listening intently and Seiji sighed, appearing almost nauseous for a second. “Of course, I haven’t tried human blood, nor have I ever harmed anyone. I would never do such a thing, although, another prominent bloodline I am acquainted with would have a vastly different opinion...”

Lost in thought, Seiji hadn’t noticed that his hand clutching the blood bag had unknowingly lifted up to his lips.

Finally satisfied in seeing that his roommate had grown comfortable, a sound smile spread onto Nicholas’ face and looked back at his computer, conscious of Seiji’s privacy preferences. Nicholas assumed that would be the end of it. He’d consoled Seiji, who usually doesn't want anything more to do with Nicholas past that (hell, he didn’t even really want Nicholas around in the first place).

So you can picture the pleasant surprise on Nicholas’ face when Seiji suddenly speaks up once again, voice quiet, unsure whether he was allowed to, "…I personally prefer the beef over pork."

Nicholas chuckled affectionately at that and officially pushed his computer away, sitting up on his bed to blink at Seiji with eager eyes. Maybe he did a better job than he’d hoped.

Too caught up with the warmth creeping up his neck, Nicholas didn’t catch the way Seiji bit his lip to hide a small smile, perfectly happy to chat with his roommate for the rest of the night if he could.

Seiji spins his desk chair around to face Nicholas’ bed, taking the split second that he was turned away to wipe the undeniable joy off his face. "A fun fact: I've heard that vampire blood tastes rancid. The equivalent of spoiled milk to humans."

Nicholas seems incredulous, clearly hunting for a friendly dispute. "Wait, wait, blood obviously expires, so wouldn’t it just taste like expired blood…? And second of all, vampires can still taste spoiled milk, Seiji. What the hell are you talking about?"

Seiji wasn’t quick enough to stop a small laugh from choke out of his mouth and out of petty embarrassment, he shot a weak glare at his roommate, not feeling a drop of animosity in it that he usually did, "Allow me to educate you on the proper ways of the vampire, dear Nicholas…"

Nicholas listened intently, clutching his stomach in laughter as they shot half-assed vampire related claims at each other.

Half of the reason why he was so entranced was because Nicholas almost couldn’t believe Seiji trusted him enough to divulge such delicate knowledge with him, but also because of how relaxed he finally seemed. It must've been lonely, not able  _ to truly  _ share his thoughts with anyone his age.

Well, Nicholas was here now, and he wasn't planning on leaving any time soon. 

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

“All black outfits don’t seem so crazy now, do they?” Nicholas snickered, crossing his arms in satisfaction as Seiji scowled at his wardrobe.

He used to constantly get on Nicholas’ case for his “absurd” outfit choices. It was hilarious to watch Seiji look so stupefied with something he’d been so irate against before his vampire turning.

Seiji gently pressed a hand to his face and groaned into it, an action so casual that it sent Nicholas doubling over in laughter. He was promptly ignored as Seiji shut the doors to his closet and spun around to sweep across the room.

Crap. Was Seiji leaving because he was so annoyed?

Still caught up in a fit of laughter, Nicholas started shaking his head and reached out to grab Seiji’s arm. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding! I’m sorry for laughing, don’t leave—”

Much to his surprise, Seiji didn’t reach for the door, but instead for Nicholas’ own closet.

That was definitely enough to stop Nicholas’ laughter. Did Seiji finally have enough? Did he snap and decide today is the day to torch Nicholas’ vast assortment of ripped clothing?

His hand was clutched loosely around the handle of Nicholas’ wardrobe, but it was clear from his unyielding posture that he wasn’t trying to trick him. He really did plan to look at Nicholas’ clothes.

Seiji glanced at Nicholas over his shoulder to sneer, “You thought I was planning to leave just now? In  _ this _ attire?” His tone chirped, clearly taking offense in the assumption.

Nicholas gave him a once over, which brought a soft tint of pink to Seiji’s cheeks. If Nicholas’ wasn’t so busy being scrutinizing Seiji’s pajamas, he probably would have noticed the flush on his roommate’s cheeks.

Clothes were clothes and Nicholas didn’t really have the option to believe in otherwise. He refused to entertain the idea of having designated outfits for specific activities, unless they were for sports and the like. Though, even he was against sleeping in the same attire he’d sweated profusely in for hours.

Shrugging at the pajama set, Nicholas drew his perplexed eyebrows in as though fitting two puzzle pieces together, “You always wear some snobby shit. I really don’t see how this is any different.”

His top was a simple button up made with light blue silk, which in Nicholas’ opinion, was showy enough to pass off as everyday casual wear. His pants were typical cotton pajamas dyed a navy blue and they looked uncomfortable enough to pass as his usual dress pants. 

Safe to say that Nicholas couldn’t possibly understand why Seiji was making such a huge fuss over all of this when his sleeping attire legitimately seemed more interesting than his usual casual wear. At least the silk material of his sleeping shirt brought a new factor of interest in lieu of his boring cotton polos.

“‘ _ Snobby shit _ ’,” Seiji repeated under his breath, incredulous, and his wide eyes bore back his roommate as if he’d just sprouted a second head. Nicholas refused to hold back a snort, all too amused by the pretentious Seiji Katayama whispering such undignified words.

His closet flung open with more force than was necessary and Nicholas would have bothered to stop Seiji from sending his wardrobe up in flames, if Seiji hadn’t hesitated.

Nicholas waited for the distaste to come rushing in, and perhaps he even felt a bit self conscious at his very few choices of apparel compared to Seiji’s selection, but was stunned to see Seiji give a slight nod.

In approval? Nicholas couldn’t really tell. For all he knew, Seiji could have been impressed that he owned clothes at all.

“Nicholas,” Seiji says, as if it’s a question, and Nicholas grunts in acknowledgement. He can’t gauge any obvious reaction from his expression nor the way he gives a quick sweep over his whole closet, but he doesn’t look revolted like Nicholas expected.

“It seems that I’ve run out of black shirts. Would you mind if I borrowed one of yours for the day?”

The room is stiflingly silent and Seiji, alarmed at how casually he’d aired such an intrusive request, quickly turns to face Nicholas to assess the damage he just caused. Once Nicholas seemed to pass the speechless phase, he didn’t seem against the idea which brought a twinge of surprise in Seiji.

Feeling the urge to further explain himself and begin damage control, Seiji drew in a quick breath, “My body, er, has had a temperature adjustment. All clothing tends to leave me freezing, no matter what I wear, so surely, you’d think that the solution at hand is to wear less clothing, right?”

Nicholas watched in awe as Seiji’s ramble continued with a passionate shake of his head, “Wrong! Direct sunlight...” He trails off, scowling at the sunshine pouring in through their open window, “It sounds inane, but I assure you, it feels as if my skin was set aflame. It produces the worst sunburns I’ve ever had to deal with.”

Nicholas remembers the typical Seiji colored clothing he’d sported when he went to the clubhouse at midnight. He can only wear what he wants when there’s no sunlight to fry him alive, or alternatively, give him frostbite.

Seiji's voice grew a bit louder, “Thus, leading me to start wearing many layers, but the issue is that my usual colors don’t soak up enough sunlight. Now I must wear all black on my outings—truly, an egregious display of fashion—because black absorbs light, in other words,  _ heat _ . It’s the only way I can stay moderately warm.”

Nicholas tried to stifle a laugh at the brief optics lesson but accidentally let a tiny snort slip out, earning an exasperated look from Seiji. “Not too hot, not too cold, all black—I think I get it. I’d be happy to help.”

Seiji's shoulders dropped at the acceptance and his eyebrows relaxed the slightest bit, visibly relieved.

Mentally preparing himself to judge his own closet, Nicholas stepped up beside Seiji and peered at their selection. As mentioned previously, it wasn’t a lot. It didn’t help that this was his wardrobe at it’s finest since Nicholas finally decided to do his laundry, but he still couldn’t see his orderly roommate wearing anything of his.

Nicholas had a few choices that he felt would suffice for literally everyone who wasn’t Seiji, which ultimately, was often the issue at hand. Black shirts seemed like a no-go, they either had tastefully loose threads or neon logos. He also had a couple black long sleeves but they already didn't seem to fit Nicholas, so the fabric would definitely crop short on Seiji's taller frame.

Nicholas knew that he was probably the least compatible person here for Seiji Katayama and that definitely included their polarizing closets. If they couldn’t even agree on an opinion regarding torn jeans and ripped shirts, how could Nicholas possibly hope to support Seiji in this situation of his? There would be better chances with Bobby—

A weight settled on Nicholas’ shoulder and he realized that it was Seiji who suddenly took a step forward to assist him in judging his outfits. The pit of self consciousness shifted in Nicholas once more and he was just hoping that he wouldn’t be  _ too _ brutally harsh this time around.

“Ah, here’s one,” Seiji reached for one of the hangers and Nicholas nearly reached out to stop him, as if his peasant rags would stain him.

In Seiji’s hands was a simple black shirt, one of the few plain ones that Nicholas owned. He waited for some insult to sink deep like a blade but Seiji merely turned to him with eager eyes, “What do you think about this one? I quite like the feel of it.”

Seiji's eyes averted for a moment, his pale fingers clutching the fabric tight, “I’ve noticed that it seems to be one of your favorites, as well. You wear this one often.” Seiji didn’t look back up just yet, he seemed to be waiting for a reaction in order to act accordingly.

As if the wind had been knocked out of Nicholas’ lungs, he gulped out of shock. He was expecting a lot of things but definitely not  _ praise _ . More importantly than that, Seiji actually paid attention to things like that?

He supposed he did. The more Nicholas thought about it, Seiji simply must’ve just hated his all black outfits so much that he always took note of each item. But no, that couldn’t be it, because he said he liked the feel of it—an actual compliment. He isn’t someone to be untruthful.

Seiji awkwardly shifted and looked like he’d been reprieved of all oxygen that Nicholas decided to put him out of his misery with a shy chuckle. “Yeah. I think it’ll look really nice on you.”

Nicholas accepted the compliment and even repaid the favor, but somehow the air seemed to weigh heavier on the two boys.

After a hefty pause, their eyes merely staring into one another’s, Seiji hurriedly nodded and disappeared behind the curtain to change. Nicholas couldn’t see him but he still felt as if all his dignity was being squeezed out of him, so he kept his back to their unorthodox room divider.

Rather than simmer in that strange and embarrassing pause where no words were spoken, Nicholas slowly raised a hand to rest over his heart. He didn’t need to do that to feel it racing, but he was afraid he was dreaming. Did Seiji feel it too?

Warmth erupted across Nicholas’ face as a troubling thought trickled into his head. Vampires in the movies could very well hear past the average capability of humans. That couldn’t be the case with Seiji right? He hadn’t heard the drum-like beat of his heart, had he?

There was no time to panic now that Seiji had appeared from behind the curtain and Nicholas spun around, a noise close to a squeak chirping from his lips. Geez, he was really jumpy this morning! Couldn’t imagine why!

Nicholas dug his hand into his hip so he could focus on something else, literally anything else, other than the vampire adorned in his favorite shirt. Seiji took a couple steps forward and swung his body, testing the material’s elasticity and room for movement.

It was the most practical thing and here Nicholas was, boiling in his own warmth and embarrassment. The fact that his roommate seemed completely unaffected had only made Nicholas feel worse.

Now that he was closer, Nicholas gulped at the fact that Seiji stood a few inches taller than he did. This was a fact he forgot often but of course, fate was cruel and returned to remind poor Nicholas at all the wrong times. Particularly when he was too jittery and confused to function.

Seiji isn’t some sparkling-in-the-sun vampire that he’s meant to fall in love with. He’s his rival, plain and simple. Also somehow, his  _ roommate _ , wherever that fits into the equation of their constant bickering.

Wow, Nicholas is falling hard.

  
  



	7. Chapter 7

Seiji was avoiding Nicholas.

It’s the last day of the month, shouldn’t he be more excited than this? His weird vampire turning period will be over in a matter of a few hours and then everything can resume in some semblance of normalcy. 

Walking down to the salle, Nicholas couldn’t imagine Seiji practically existing anywhere else. There were only a handful of places that he could feel at peace and the salle was the easiest location for either of them to enter.

He passed by their dorm right when the final academic bell sounded, not expecting Seiji to be there, so Nicholas didn’t plan on staying long. What he did find interesting was the lack of a blue cooler pushed beneath Seiji’s bed. An icy chill ran through his veins, knowing that this couldn’t mean anything good.

The fear wracking at Nicholas’ heart, pumping him with the adrenaline to stride across campus faster, eyes darting quicker and with more desperation than usual, had peaked when he ducked into the salle.

He scoured the fencing hall in haste, flitting from one face to the next until he recognized any familiar faces. A small burst of happiness flickered within Nicholas when he spotted Eugene and Harvard cracking a joke with the coach.

Coach noticed Nicholas running over before his teammates did, their backs facing him, and Coach fitted him with an angry look. Unlike most boys in the hall, Nicholas was one of the few who was able to spot the tiny glimmer of concern in her eyes.

“Cox! Where’s Seiji? He didn’t show up for practice earlier,” she said, and Nicholas had no doubt that Eugene and Harvard caught onto the slight tilt of worry that caused coach’s usual intimidating boom of a voice to pitch a bit higher.

Predictably, Eugene and Harvard spun around to meet Nicholas with wide eyes, both of their huge hearts nearly bursting at their King’s Row seams with concern.

Nicholas, panting between his words, “I’m trying to find him right now, actually. He was never here?” He raised an arm to scratch at the back of his neck, finding it incredibly hard to believe that Seiji would skip practice.

Ignoring his typical sleeping curfew in order to fuel himself with blood was a matter of life or death—which, for Seiji Katayama, is the only viable reason to be breaking routines apparently. Besides, now that he barely sleeps, Seiji only has more time to hone his fencing now.

He cared about fencing even more than sleeping, so missing out on practice surely didn’t aid in reassuring Nicholas, that’s for sure.

Harvard dropped his eyes to the floor, ashamed, and Nicholas knew before the captain even opened his mouth that he was about to beat himself up over something he had no control over. Harvard’s innate quality toward helping others was one that Nicholas would never stop looking up to him for.

“I tried talking to him today and I asked him if everything was going alright, if he needed someone to talk to,” a frown dipped Harvard’s mouth and his trademark dimples disappeared, which was just another reason to find Seiji quicker. A sorrowful Harvard meant the equivalent of a sorrowful day. “Seiji told me that I had nothing to worry over. It doesn’t help that he didn’t tell me how he felt, all he was concerned with was my feelings.”

Eugene nodded his head slowly, understanding, and patting Harvard’s back. He’s done the same for Nicholas before whenever he was feeling upset, and he surmised that his talent in comforting others had developed from his instinctive big brother senses.

“It’ll be okay, bro! If anyone can find Seiji and talk to him, help him through whatever he’s going through, it’s Nicholas!” Eugene clenched his hand into a determined fist and shot it out to Nicholas, beaming a prideful smile.

Nicholas, even in a dire crisis like this, couldn’t resist smiling back and accepting the encouraging fist bump. It was close to receiving one of those bone-crushing hugs from Eugene (but definitely not the same, because Eugene’s hugs were some of the best he’s ever felt), but it conveyed the hope that Nicholas needed.

In so many ways, Eugene and Harvard were the hearts of the King’s Row team. How lucky was he to run into these two, right as he was beginning to feel doubtful about his roommate?

With a final smile from coach, Nicholas bundled his team’s cheers in stride and fled the salle. There was one last place he could think of Seiji disappearing to, and with the cooler box having gone missing as well, Nicholas had faith that he couldn’t be anywhere else.

* * *

Nicholas raced through the trees toward the clubhouse, the sun only now beginning to make its trip toward the horizon. That meant that Seiji was so desperate that he left in haste even in the sunlight hours. Just how bad was the situation?

The clubhouse door was left open and Nicholas darted inside, shock and fear pinning his feet by the door. Seiji didn’t seem surprised to hear Nicholas come in and he chalked it up to some amplified hearing ability.

White knuckled from digging his sharpened nails into the wood flooring beneath them, Seiji was tucked into the corner of the room as though trying to hide. His fangs had protruded to the point that it was near impossible for him to close his jaw without flinching, and that was when Nicholas spied how sharp they could truly point.

At the center of the clubhouse was the blue cooler, once again thrown to the ground, and emptied of all its contents. Nicholas scoped the floor for any of the blood bags he’s seen a few times this week, but when there wasn’t a single one to be found, the situation at hand finally sunk in.

Seiji was hungry, and there wasn’t a drop of his usual blood supply left.

The crisis only seemed to steep in urgency further when Nicholas noticed Seiji’s rolled up sleeves. He was perplexed at first, even just the loss of Seiji’s school blazer was abnormal enough to warrant questioning (especially now, due to his tendency to get cold), until he pinpointed the reason why he needed his arms to be free.

Nicholas blinked at the two open dots on Seiji's arm, only at the beginning stages of healing, and flecks of dried blood encircling them. He was desperate enough to attempt drinking his own blood.

“I ran out, it wasn’t enough,” Seiji exhaled sharply and his voice was hoarse, clearly having to struggle to pronounce each word with his jaw forced wide by two pointed fangs. His eyes shot up to glare at Nicholas when he took a cautious step closer, trying not to scare away his roommate.

“Don’t come any closer! Just leave! You’ll only get hurt,” and Nicholas’ heart clenched at the implication of the last part of Seiji’s warning, memory of Harvard resurfacing. Seiji always thought of the other person before himself, even while he was clinging to his last strands of life.

That was enough to instill desperation in Nicholas, who did not waver as he slowly began to walk closer. He dipped his chin to the floor and bit at his lip, choking down the fear that was crawling at his skin. The fear of losing Seiji, right when he thinks he finally caught hold of him. The real him.

Seiji scooted back to mold himself into the wall, desperate to put space between them. “I cannot guarantee your safety,” another pitiful wheeze left his mouth, "I can't lose you, Nicholas, please—" There goes the please again.

"Seiji, stop," Nicholas choked out in agony, and he was starting to believe he might as well be the one starving on the floor here if his feeble heart dared to feel so much for a boy. This singular, insufferable fencer who clutched Nicholas’ heart and since then, it beat for the both of them.

Nicholas began to unbutton his shirt, and it was clear to the both of them what his plan was. Though, nothing could ever be easy with Seiji, as he immediately sunk his teeth into his wrist once again.

There is another irregularity in Nicholas’ heartbeat, a feeling of uselessness arising in him from being unable to cease Seiji’s attempt to suck his own blood out, which resulted in him coughing it onto the floor. The memory of “vampire blood tastes rancid” flared in his mind. He would rather drink his own, foul tasting blood than Nicholas’.

Nicholas, taking soft steps, closed the distance between them slowly. Seiji both looked like a scared animal and an insatiable predator at the same, unforgettable time. These two polarizing sides are still both him, still Seiji Katayama.

Seiji shut his eyes and turned away, nose flaring as he continued to wage a war within himself that Nicholas wanted nothing more than to soothe out of him. “Why did you…Why did you stay at the clubhouse? On that first night, I could’ve killed you! And you stayed!” He sounded enraged but Nicholas looked up to meet his mournful eyes. Seiji was angry at himself.

Nicholas’ hands shook as he gently reached out to envelop Seiji into an embrace. It seemed to wage another battle within Seiji to allow himself to accept the hug, but nonetheless, his white knuckled hands slipped free to lay themselves on Nick's arms. He splayed out his fingers, careful not to flinch or bend them in order to keep from piercing Nicholas with his nails.

“I couldn’t watch you writhe in so much pain, especially all alone. Seiji, you…You are…” Nick winced as his words trailed off, but he was sure that Seiji could feel the rapid beating of his heart and would understand his words that way.

Seiji didn't shift in Nicholas’s grasp and his rapid breathing didn’t seem to be slowing, but he wasn’t shivering as terribly now and he definitely wasn't panicking nearly as much as earlier. 

Seiji dropped his head, his nose tucking into Nicholas’ collar, craving the natural warmth that his warm bodied roommate always seemed to emanate. For a second, Seiji felt his cheeks warm at the memory of Nicholas’ cuddling pillow and how, in this moment, he was in a much similar situation. He found that he didn’t mind it being wrapped so close to his roommate.

They sat there for a long moment, just listening to their own breathing, and Nicholas didn’t have an issue waiting patiently for Seiji. If he didn't want to accept his offer then Nicholas wasn't going to force it on him, but the only thing he wouldn't accept is Seiji allowing himself to rot away in the clubhouse.

  
  


"I can find something else—someone else. If you're out of blood just give me a second to buy it or something. Just tell me what you need." Nicholas steadied his voice to sound as calm and collected as he could possibly manage. Seiji needed to know someone was there for him and the last thing he would do is leave him. Especially in this state.

Seiji groaned out in agony, his voice beginning to almost slur together into nonsense, "No, no…Curfew is soon, gates will close...The stores are too far to walk to, and I…" Nicholas winced. There was only one option.

"I don't want you to drink my blood if you don't want to,” Nicholas, feeling bashful, turned his face to the side and suddenly found the vibrant blue of the cooler to be very interesting, “But you’re definitely not going to die tonight either, you hear me?”

Seiji let out a grunt and gently knocked his head back against the wall, his eyes shut tight in the effort to merely process Nicholas’ words.

"Look, I can find someone else if you're more comfortable with them! I know my blood probably isn’t the tastiest, it’s okay if you don't want to drink mine—" Nicholas’ crazed ramble seemed to breathe some life back into Seiji as he clumsily moved to sit on his knees, unknowingly straddling Nicholas and bringing their chests closer.

Their compromising position did not seem to rattle Seiji as he latched his hands onto Nicholas' shoulders, "You. I want you."

Nicholas was baffled at it all. Seiji’s skin, now examined from up close, had a sickly green undertone to it that gave away what was basically a lack of life. Though he didn’t require sleep, there was a slight darkness pooling beneath his eyes which had probably sprouted from fatigue.

And yet, with an honesty on his face that he’d only had the courage to surface this past week, Seiji had never seemed so beautiful to Nicholas before.

Nicholas gulped when he felt a fire spread across his cheeks, tugging down his collar to expose easily accessible skin but even in Seiji's withering state of mind, he slapped a hand over Nicholas' exposed neck. Seiji furrowed his eyebrows, determined, "Are you okay with this?"

Nicholas nodded without hesitation, "You can use that compliance ability of yours if you don't believe me, Seiji. If you'll have me, I'd be happy to be your personal blood bag." Seiji let out an involuntary laugh that seemed to mix with a cough, and Nicholas was just happy to see him smile. 

"You are so much more than that to me, Nicholas."

The two fangs sunk into his neck—a miniscule drop of stinging sharpness amongst the warm sea that brimmed Nicholas’ chest, as he gazed at Seiji with such adoration that he wondered how, at the beginning, Seiji mentioned how people thought of him to be a barbaric animal. 

With those razor pointed fangs and a power to demand whatever he wished from others, Seiji could bring nations to their knees if he as much as willed it. Yet, whenever Nicholas pictured Seiji Katayama, he couldn’t imagine anything other than the selfless and vulnerable boy clutched tight in his arms.

  
That monster that was described before was nowhere to be seen and he never would be seen, only Seiji Katayama.


	8. Chapter 8

"Well, all's well that ends well!" Bobby chirps, setting his breakfast down beside Dante’s. The gentle giant shifted the tiniest bit to make space even though it was obvious he’d been saving him a spot.

Surprisingly, Bobby was the last one to arrive this morning, and that’s typically Aiden and Harvard’s job simply because it wasn’t always that they sat with the rest of their team. Eugene counted toward that as well, but he was quick to decide between his weightlifting friends and the team, so he arrived early.

Harvard nods happily, “Seiji seems like he’s back to normal now, what a relief!” A hand comes up to rest against over his heart and he leans back the tiniest bit, visibly reassured. Everyone at the table eyes Seiji, who merely stiffened in response.

Grunting at the sudden attention, Seiji waves them all off and reaches for his toast. “You are all overreacting. This month’s behavior was typical of mine, there was no change.” Though everyone’s gazes were full of varying degrees of concern and doubt, they all rolled their eyes nonetheless.

“Suuuure,” Aiden groans, making a dramatic display of his own eye roll. “Seiji's weird behavior from last month was probably just because he was so smitten with Nicholas.  _ Gross _ ."

The table's focus was redirected toward the two freshmen hands that were locked together under the table, and Bobby swoons as they fumble to unlatch themselves from each other. 

Seiji and Nicholas both burst into stammers, Seiji taking the more undignified route of denial, “I would  _ never _ —” and Nicholas screaming as he fought to stay on the bench, nearly knocked off from Seiji’s startle.

“Aww, my freshie bros are all grown up!” Eugene tackles the two into a weepy embrace and digs his face into Nicholas’ shoulder, pretending to sniffle and sob. “It’s about time you both did something about your mutual pining!”

Seiji tries to refute that but he is found speechless, the protests of denial in his mind nowhere to be seen. At the sight of a gobsmacked Seiji, Bobby squirms at Dante’s side and cooed, “Wow, they’re so in  _ love _ !”

“Congratulations to you two! We all support you!” Harvard beams from across the table, but then focuses an affectionate frown at Aiden, “You shouldn’t have exposed them like that. What if they didn’t want to go public yet?”

Aiden shrugs, "It was going to happen eventually. I was just giving them a little push." He lifts a hand to examine his nails but it wasn’t lost on the rest of the table how he leaned into Harvard’s shoulder. The two have been so well accustomed to it that Harvard didn’t even seem to notice it.

Bobby's eyes light up, "Oh! So Aiden was right about those midnight rendezvous!” Everyone at the table suddenly looks extremely interested in the freshmen once more, to which Nicholas and Seiji stiffen.

“Nicholas, you tried to trick us, didn't you! Were you actually going out with Seiji all along?" Bobby points an accusatory finger at Nicholas, and Aiden burst with hearty guffaws when the two freshmen colored red across their cheeks.

Harvard blinked innocently and Eugene exchanged a wide eyed look with Dante, who had expressed more in this moment than he'd shown in a while.

Nicholas twines his fingers again with Seiji's and raises their hands into the air, chuckling nervously, "Hah! You guys really got us there, huh?" Seiji’s eye twitches beside him and clears his throat, but does not proceed to correct his irksome boyfriend.

Aiden rolls his eyes but that smug smile on his face was unmistakable, "See? I’m always right. Anyway, don’t worry you two. We can keep your dirty little secret."

Nicholas drops their entangled hands under the table once again and Seiji squeezes, finally allowing himself to feel a heartfelt smile lift his cheeks the tiniest bit when he finds Nicholas' wide grin shining back at him.

Their lunch table may have a skewed picture of their supposed midnight rendezvous, but sometimes the truth was too much to air out.

  
Besides, Seiji quite likes the thought of Nicholas knowing him, the  _ real _ him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and sticking around so far! I didn't expect this to get as angsty as it did in some parts!
> 
> Side Notes:  
> \- The ability that a vampire is bestowed with is based on their beliefs and personality. Seiji's ability is to demand someone to do as he wishes because he is pompous and has a strong sense of duty. This was inspired by V.E. Schwab's Villains book series (Vicious and Vengeful), and I later realized that this is almost exactly the same power as Lelouch vi Britannia from Code Geass just without the nuance.  
> \- Alternate Title: My Roommate Is a Vampire! (Based off My Babysitter's a Vampire"


End file.
